PEARL RIVER, La. -- St. Tammany Parish President Kevin Davis said he has concerns with his fire district in the Pearl River area.
"We have great concern about the stability of the fire district to be able to respond," Davis said, "and that's our biggest concern."
Issues in the district began, Davis said, back on December 14, 2009, when the fire board fired Fire Chief Robert Crowe.
Crowe was told, "We the board are not satisfied with your ability to perform the duties of chief", and he was terminated immediately.
"To this day," Crowe's attorney, Louis Robein said Thursday, "no one has articulated a reason."
Robein has represented hundreds of firefighters and police officers in his career. He filed suit against the board of Fire District 11.
Robein contends Crowe was fired because he complained his men weren't getting basic benefits like sick time and vacation time, which are guaranteed by law. And Robein said Crowe was fired without being given his due process rights to argue his case.
"This has been litigated in Louisiana on multiple occasions," Robein said. "No district, no municipality has the right to quote, opt out. They've got to comply with the law. It's a constitutional mandate."
At the time of Crowe's dismissal, St. Tammany Fire District 11 had a fire rating of 2. Louisiana Fire Marshal Butch Browning told Eyewitness News, that puts the district among the best in Louisiana.
"They have superb equipment, some of the best in the parish," Davis said. "They have the lowest fire rating in the parish out there, so it seemed everything was positive moving forward."
Which is why, Davis said, he didn't understand the board's actions.
"I got the same questions you have," Davis said, "but some of those answers haven't been answered yet."
Board member Lola Monroe said she cannot speak about why Chief Crowe was fired, because of the litigation.
"I don't know and my client doesn't know and the folks I've spoken to in the community do not know," Robein added.
After Crowe was let go, Matt Parish was named interim chief. But Parish quit earlier this month, and now Steven Koch is the new interim chief.
Koch told Eyewitness News, he plans to apply for the permanent job.
Concerns have also been raised in Pearl River about whether the board followed proper procedures in announcing their meetings.
"We have never had a meeting that was not posted. It was never our intention to do anything in secret," Monroe said.
Some answers could come in March in court, when attorneys for the fire board are expected to answer Crowe's suit.
